The Musicians

JAY UNGAR and MOLLY MASON have been providing music for Ken Burns's films for more than a quarter of a century. Jay's haunting composition, "Ashokan Farewell," became the acclaimed theme song of the epic The Civil War and its Emmy-winning soundtrack, and is now considered an American classic. Their music spans two continents and two centuries, from Appalachian, Cajun, and Celtic fiddle tunes to swing, country and waltzes. They performed at the wedding of Ken and Julie Burns in October 2003. www.jayandmolly.com

JOSEPH FIRE CROW was born in Montana and raised on the Northern Cheyenne reservation until he was nine years old, when he was placed with a foster family in Seattle as part of the Mormon Indian Placement program. After three-and-a-half years at Brigham Young University, he returned to his reservation and became a respected flute player. He shares his music and tribal history through lectures and workshops, which include lessons in flute making. Joseph now makes his home in Winsted, Connecticut. www.makoche.com

MATT GLASER is the first and only recipient of the Stephane Grappelli Memorial Award, "in recognition of his significant contribution to the teaching and playing of improvised string music in America." Matt has played for sixteen of Ken Burns's films and also appeared in Jazz in some memorable interviews. He has been chair of the String Department at the Berklee College of Music in Boston for 27 years.

Pianist JACQUELINE SCHWAB's improvisational playing has been heard on the soundtrack of more than a dozen of Ken Burns's documentaries. Jacqueline also performs solo concerts of vintage American and Celtic and English traditional music and has recorded with many traditional musicians. She lives in Chatham, Massachusetts. www.jacquelineschwab.com, or listen to sound clips on myspace.com/jacquelineschwab.

LISA NARDI writes music for documentary and independent films. She is particularly excited about this film, as she has a passion for this country's national parks and for the continuing preservation of its undeveloped land. It is this passion combined with the opportunity to work with Ken Burns again that inspired her composition "In Nature's Hands". She lives in Port Washington, NY.

WILL DUNCAN of Walpole, New Hampshire, has been a member of ASCAP since he was 12 years old, when two of his compositions became part of the soundtrack for Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip. His compositions for The National Parks are drawn from a collection of his melodies originally inspired by themes from Homer's Odyssey. He enters Swarthmore College in the fall of 2009.

And today from Jay and Molly an audio gift arrived!

Jay composed this tune for the marriage of Ken Burns & Julie Brown in 2003.

~ Jack Hardy

MALINKY

w/Matching Orange

Saturday, October 3

Doors 7:30, Concert 8:00

Minimum Suggested Donation $17 at the door, $15 advance*

MALINKYWith their stunning fourth album Flower & Iron, Malinky celebrate their tenth anniversary and introduce a newly revamped line-up, meanwhile underscoring their reputation as one of Scotland's most distinctive and accomplished folk bands. While retaining their hallmark song-based repertoire, performed by three superb lead vocalists and arrayed with tastefully inventive instrumentation, Malinky today unite seasoned maturity with sparkling freshness, casting their musical net wider than ever.

"May be the finest young Scottish band since Silly Wizard" ~ Boston Globe

MATCHING ORANGEThe traditional music world contains two types of musicians: the ones that stick to the good old ways ("Trad to the bone") and the ones that push the limits. Matching Orange is the rare group that walks this line to perfection. Distinguished by their high energy playing and brightly colored music folders, the sound they create is interesting and unique while maintaining a familiar feeling of age-oldness. The result is an alluring complexity. Wherever these three musicians travel, they are greeted with acclaim. Whether playing for the contra dances they cut their teeth on, jamming at a local pub, or bringing the house down at a formal concert, audiences are always excited to hear such a refreshing approach to traditional fiddle music. Featuring Eric McDonald (mandolin), Eric Eid-Reiner (piano), and Brendan Carey Block (fiddle), the band creates a swirling level of intensity, sometimes gritty, sometimes pure, and always engaging. Matching Orange players take full advantage of diverse musical backgrounds, with extensive training in folk, classical, jazz, and other traditions.

We know it's very little notice, but we hope you'll join us for a fun evening of old-time music with a great entertainer and musician. Tell all of your friends!

Matt Brown is an engaging performer of American roots music. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist and singer, he performs toe-tapping square dance tunes and a variety of songs from the blues to ballads. With fiddle, banjo, and guitar, he delights his audiences with a soundthat is both authentic and inventive. Matt has performed with many great artists including David Holt, Alice Gerrard, and Paul Brown. He has toured with Footworks and Rhythm in Shoes, opened for April Verch and Old School Freight Train, and appeared as a guest artist with Tim O'Brien, The Wilders, and Uncle Earl. Matt is also a producer, studio musician, and partner in 5-String Productions, an independent record label based in West Chester, PA.

Monday, September 28, 2009

"A delightful feeling of abundance can overtake a fan when this festival reaches its hilt...[BCMFest] makes clear what a rich hub of talent Boston has lately fiddled-up."

-Daniel Gewertz, Boston Herald

"With its pan-Celtic music, community focus, low-key approach, multi-generational lineup and universal sense of fun, the BCMFest is a sterling example of how to make a tradition live and grow." ~Dirty Linen

BCMFest 2010: Core TraditionsJanuary 8 and 9, 2010

Hot Celtic music is the perfect answer for the cold of winter, and that’s where the Boston Celtic Music Fest (BCMFest) comes in.

The seventh annual BCMFest takes place January 8 and 9, 2010, featuring some of Boston's best performers in the Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton and other Celtic or Celticinfluenced music traditions.

BCMFest #7 kicks off January 8 with an evening concert at Club Passim in Harvard Square as well as its wildly popular, hipster-friendly Celtic dance party, the Boston Urban Ceilidh, at Springstep in Medford. The festival continues on January 9 with performances at four stages, located in Club Passim and at nearby First Church of Cambridge. First Church will be the setting that night at 8 p.m. for the BCMFest Finale Concert, which will include performances by the Makem and Spain Brothers, KimberleyFraser with Janine Randall, and Barbara McOwen with Anne Hooper.

What’s a word to describe BCMFest? Think “grassroots.” The festival board and most of its staff are volunteers. The festival line-up is selected almost exclusively via application, and all performers — whether full-time touring professionals, evenings-and weekends musicians or newcomers to the scene — receive the same expense reimbursement stipend. BCMFest also is a place where generations gather: Teen-age fiddlers sharing a tune with octogenarian accordion players, or grad students hoofing it with middle-aged parents on the dance floor.

At a time when the financial crisis has forced a number of local or regional music events and organizations to scale back or suspend operations this year, BCMFest – buoyed by its largest-ever total of performer applications and a growing audience – is poised for another successful January.

Performers confirmed for the 2010 festival include Flynn Cohen & John McGann,The Gobshites, Triptych, Tri, Colm O’Brien, Kate Chadbourne, Calum Pasqua & SusiePetrov, The Red Etin, Michael O’Leary, Gordon Aucoin & Lloyd Carr, Cedar Stanistreet& Max Newman, Bento Boxty and the trio of Laurel Martin, Kieran Jordan and DavidSurette, as well as a family-oriented production, “The Fiddler’s Wish,” and a special one of-its-kind ensemble that will recreate the classic Dudley Street Boston Irish Dance Hall Era from the 1930s to 1950s. [A list of the performers who are thus confirmed to appear at the festival is at the end of this announcement; news and updates will be available atbcmfest.com.]

BCMFest 2010 has a "back to basics" theme, say festival organizers, exploring the core traditions in which BCMFest was forged.

"Last year, BCMFest put the spotlight on what might be called the 'fringe' of Celtic music," explains BCMFest co-founder and board member Laura Cortese. "The festival featured a number of acts that were connected to, but a little removed from, the Celtic traditions: old-timey and Appalachian, or New England contra dance music, for example. We even had a performance by Session Americana, who play a blend of country rock, blues and roots music, but for BCMFest put together a set that had an Irish theme. "For BCMFest 2010, we felt it was important to reaffirm the importance of core traditions, and highlight people who keep those traditions alive and well in the Boston area. So, many of the acts who submitted applications this year and who were selected for BCMFest reflect this emphasis."

Shannon Heaton, who co-founded BCMFest with Cortese and also sits on the festival board, adds: "During its first six years, BCMFest has reached out to the area's diverse Celtic music community, through the festival as well as events during the year, such as the monthly Celtic Music Monday series at Club Passim and our annual music cruise in Gloucester. And every year we've seen more and more musicians, singers and dancers come up with some great ideas and collaborations that really speak to the BCMFest mission.

"What's especially encouraging about this year," Heaton says, "is that when we issued the call for performers to apply we made a point of stating the 'core traditions' theme, and it clearly generated a response. There were applications from first-time performers, as well as from people who have appeared before, who came up with an act or collaboration geared to the theme."

Ticket and schedule information for BCMFest 2010 will be announced shortly, and also will be available at bcmfest.com.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

This appeal was originally posted to NEFolknRoots. In a geography where traditional and revival folk was and continues to be strong, the amount of it on area radio stations is appallingly underrepresented. There are options, primarily if one listens online, but Boston-area folk music broadcasting is very limited. Here's a solution.

================================================

An open letter to WGBH.

I have read with interest news of your purchase of commercial classical-lite radio station WCRB. Bravo.

Now the next logical step would be for WGBH to buy a quasi-folk AAA station and expand your stellar Saturday Celtic/Folk/Blues programming to 24/7.

Please?

http://www.wgbh.org/support/keepclassicalalive_main.cfm

WGBH is taking classical music commercial-free 24/7, and you can play a part!

WGBH is acquiring New England's leading all-classical music station, WCRB 99.5FM, and will shift it to a non-commercial service, in keeping with our public media mission.

"From its very first broadcast, WGBH Radio has provided audiences with the best in classical music and performance. Today we are excited to reinvest in this tradition for a new generation of listeners," says WGBH President and CEO Jon Abbott. "The acquisition of WCRB will allow WGBH to sustain the vibrant classical music tradition of the Boston area."

What does this mean to WGBH's classical music listeners and supporters? You can count on the same thoughtful, engaging presentation of the best in classical music by our knowledgeable hosts. The additional hours will allow us to expand the scope of our service, maximizing WGBH's strong alliances with the area's premier performing organizations and artists and optimizing the use of our state-of-the-art Fraser Performance Studio, here in Brighton.

Keep Classical Music Alive

Make an impact

WGBH's award-winning radio programs make a lasting impact on local residents. Now your company can help make that a reality – while making a positive impact on your bottom line. Public radio listeners appreciate the corporate sponsors that help make their favorite music possible. Learn more about WGBH public radio sponsorship opportunities. Become a WGBH radio sponsor.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Mary Travers Of Peter, Paul and Mary Dies

United Press InternationalMary Travers singing with Peter, Paul and Mary in 1978. Paul Stookey is to the left and Peter Yarrow to the right.

Mary Travers, whose ringing, earnest vocals with the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary made songs like “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “If I Had a Hammer” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” enduring anthems of the 1960s protest movement, died Wednesday night in Danbury Hospital in Connecticut. She was 72 and had lived in Redding, Conn.

The cause was cancer, said her spokeswoman, Heather Lylis.

Ms. Travers brought a powerful voice and an unfeigned urgency to music that resonated with mainstream listeners. With her straight blond hair and willowy figure and two bearded guitar players by her side, she looked exactly like what she was, a Greenwich Villager straight from the clubs and the coffee houses that nourished the folk-music revival.

“She was obviously the sex appeal of that group, and that group was the sex appeal of the movement,” said Elijah Wald, a folk-blues musician and a historian of popular music.

Just returned from "Community Ambassador" training at WGBH where I learned there will be an "American Masters" Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound, airing October 14.

www.pbs.org Weds, Oct. 14, 8PM In the first comprehensive documentary to chronicle the private life and public career of Joan Baez, this film examines her history as a recording artist and performer as well as her unwavering journey as the conscience of a generation. Following her 2008/2009 world tour, the filmmakers captured Baez in performance and in intimate conversations with individuals whose lives parallel hers. ... pbs "american masters" joan baez

The New England Folk Music Archives preserves, promotes and documents the ongoing cultural legacy of folk music and its connections to New England through education, collaboration and entertainment.

Based on collections from the 1960's era folk revival stretching to the present the establishing collections include photographs, recordings, and memorabilia from the Club 47, the Cambridge and Boston folk music community, the Newport Folk Festival and the Old Vienna Kaffeehous.

Proceeds and donations from this event will serve to build the New England Folk Music Archives into a long standing community presence

The event will begin with an exclusive artists reception with complimentary champagne and an array of hors d'oeuvres from 5-6:30pm

Friday, September 11, 2009

Jeff Hardy, Jack's brother and long-time bass player in his band, was a victim of the September 11th World Trade Center tragedy. Jeff worked as an executive chef on the 101st floor of the north tower. He played on many of Jack's albums and toured with Jack for 11 years.

Known as "Moose" to his fans, Jeff was a regular on New York City stages in the 1980s before reducing his playing time to focus on his culinary career and better provide for his young family. Those who met Jeff immediately noticed his warmth and good nature. He reached out and included people, regardless of their positions or ideologies.

A memorial service on October 13th at The Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church was attended by over 400 family and friends.

Anyone who would like to make a donation in memory of Jeff might consider the Windows of Hope Family Relief Fund. The fund provides aid to the families of victims of the World Trade Center tragedy who worked in the food service profession throughout the complex.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Check out Woody Guthrie's MY DUSTY ROAD - Rounder's 4-CD set that is thankfully getting massive press, including a very rare 5-star review in Rolling Stone. It was my pleasure to have written some of the notes telling the story about how t...he masters for this album were found in the basement of a Brooklyn brownstone, where they have been for about 60 years. The sound quality is stunning. [end of advertisement! :)]

Woody Guthrie:My Dusty Road, Released 08/25/2009

Released in coordination with the Woody Guthrie Archives, this 4 disc boxed set is the definitive edition of Woody Guthrie¹s mid-1940s recordings. The sound quality is superb, taken from newly discovered original metal masters. The set includes many of Woody's best-known songs, along with traditional material and collaborations with fellow guitarist Cisco Houston and harmonica player Sonny Terry. To complement and enhance enjoyment of the recordings, the discs are packaged in a replica of a vintage suitcase, complete with handle and latches. Inside the box are a full-color 68 page book that includes extensive notes and many rare or previously unpublished photos, as well as illustrations and illuminated lyric sheets by Guthrie himself. Also included are facsimiles of Woody's business card, a postcard sent from Florida to his wife, and a booking card from the 1940s.

Compact Disc: $75.99 (CDROUN1162 / 011661116221)

My Dusty Road has 54 tracks:

WinMedia

1

This Land Is Your Land

02:44

N/A

2

Going Down the Road (I Ain't Gonna Be Treated This Way)

02:56

N/A

3

Talking Sailor

03:06

N/A

4

Philadelphia Lawyer

02:32

N/A

5

Hard Travelin'

02:38

N/A

6

Jesus Christ

02:41

N/A

7

The Sinking of the Reuben James

03:25

N/A

8

Pretty Boy Floyd

03:06

N/A

9

Grand Coulee Dam

02:09

N/A

10

Nine Hundred Miles

02:51

N/A

11

Going Down the Road (I Ain't Gonna Be Treated This Way) 2

02:57

N/A

12

My Daddy (Flies a Ship in the Sky)

02:33

N/A

13

Bad Repetation

02:50

N/A

1

Poor Boy

02:26

N/A

2

Worried Man Blues

02:01

N/A

3

A Picture From Life's Other Side

03:05

N/A

4

Buffalo Skinners

03:20

N/A

5

Hard Ain't It Hard

02:40

N/A

6

Stewball

03:27

N/A

7

Stackolee

03:01

N/A

8

Gypsy Davy

02:49

N/A

9

Little Darling Pal of Mine

02:54

N/A

10

What Did the Deep Sea Say?

02:59

N/A

11

Chisholm Trail

02:36

N/A

12

Put My Little Shoes Away

02:49

N/A

13

Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?

02:33

N/A

14

John Henry

02:39

N/A

1

I'm Gonna Join That One Big Union (You Gotta Go Down and Join the Union)

Nashville, TN- IBMA is proud to announce the nominees for the 20th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, hosted by Grammy®-winning country artist Kathy Mattea and the legendary bluegrass band, Hot Rize, on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.

Two decades after the very first IBMA Award Show–an intimate industry gathering at the Executive Inn’s Showroom Lounge in Owensboro, Kentucky, hosted by Vince Gill and the Dirt Band’s John McEuen–bluegrass music’s premier night continues to be the most anticipated evening of the year. Now a generation away from that first show, the bluegrass tradition of passing the music on from one generation to the next also continues, evidenced by the six bands nominated for Entertainer of the Year in 2009. All have gained valuable experience as journeymen musicians with established artists in the past, and have now become the band leaders and musical stylists who will inspire future generations.

Dan Tyminski and two Union Station alumni, Adam Steffey and Barry Bales, have taken the opportunity to make a name for their own group the past two years, while Alison Krauss focused on a critically acclaimed recording and tour dates with Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant. On the strength of Tyminski’s chart-topping album Wheels, the band leads with nine nominations. In addition to Entertainer of the Year, Instrumental Group, Album of the Year, Song of the Year for the title cut, and Male Vocalist nods, band members Ron Stewart, Bales and Steffey are nominated for their individual instrumental skills, with Stewart earning nods in both the Banjo and Fiddle Player categories.

Dailey & Vincent, whose popularity has only continued to grow since they received seven awards in 2008, including Entertainer of the Year, have a new album out on Rounder Records entitled Brothers from Different Mothers and seven new IBMA nominations. Along with nominations for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist–an award Dailey took home last year–the band is up for Vocal Group; Album of the Year; Bass Player (Vincent); Gospel Recorded Performance for “On the Other Side,” a song written by Jimmy Fortune, Kevin Denney & Tom Botkin; and “After the Fire is Gone,” a song Vincent recorded with his award-winning sister Rhonda Vincent and the legendary Bobby Osborne.

Multiple Emmy®- and Grammy® winning actor, musician and best-selling author, Steve Martin, burst onto the bluegrass scene this year, trusty banjo in hand, to receive nominations in six IBMA award categories: Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year for “The Crow”, Recorded Event of the year for both “Daddy Played the Banjo” and “The Crow,” Banjo Player, Best Liner Notes and Best Graphic Design for a Recorded Project. After charity appearances in Los Angeles and New York and an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in May, Martin has recently announced a cross-country series of tour dates in support of his album, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo. The Crow currently sits at the top of the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart, and Steve has brought mainstream media attention to bluegrass music with a number of appearances on television and radio programs this year, including A Prairie Home Companion, American Idol’s season finale, Saturday Night Live, Good Morning America, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, CBS Early Show, Tavis Smiley and Late Show with David Letterman. Martin, whose fans will remember his impressive banjo chops from his early days as a stand-up comedian, wrote all the songs on The Crow.

The Grascals, who were named Entertainers of the Year in 2006 and 2007, have nominations in five categories. Along with nods for Entertainer and Album of the Year for Keep On Walkin’, current Banjo Player of the Year Kristin Scott Benson is nominated for Instrumental Recorded Performance for her original composition “Don’t Tread on Me,” and she receives a new Banjo Player nomination. The entire band is recognized in the Recorded Event of the Year category for their collaboration with Vince Gill, “Sad Wind Sighs.”

The bluegrass industry’s highest honors of the year go to the new members of the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees are The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, the legendary string band formed in 1937 by Ezra, Ray and Ned Cline in West Virginia; and The Dillards, the influential band from Salem, Missouri, known for their popular appearances on The Andy Griffith Show who blazed a trail on the West Coast in the 1960s for progressive bluegrass bands and were instrumental in laying the foundation for the “country rock” music genre. (For complete information on this year’s inductees, please visit http://www.ibma.org/ibma.awards/currentpress/HOFPress.asp.)

IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award is an honor which recognizes individuals, groups and businesses for ground-breaking work and fostering the music’s image and accessibility. This year’s recipients are early bluegrass pioneer Hylo Brown; long-time event producer from Maine, Pati Crooker; veteran performer and radio announcer Jody Rainwater; author, musicology and radio broadcaster Dick Spottswood; and the National Council for the Traditional Art’s Joe Wilson. (For complete information on this year’s recipients, please visit http://www.ibma.org/ibma.awards/currentpress/distachieve.asp.)

Tickets for the 20th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, bluegrass music’s biggest night of the year, are available at 888-438-4262, (615) 256-3222 and www.ibma.org. Tickets go on sale at the Ryman Auditorium box office on August 15.

The award show will be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio (”Bluegrass Junction” Channel 14) and syndicated to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks, thanks to the sponsorship of Martha White, GHS Strings, Sugar Hill Records, Deering Banjos, Bluegrass Music Profiles and the International Bluegrass Music Museum. Program directors and station managers may sign up to be affiliates online at www.ibma.org.

The International Bluegrass Music Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), which serves as the trade association for the bluegrass music industry. The IBMA Award Show is the centerpiece of the World of Bluegrass week, including the industry’s Business Conference and Bluegrass Fan Fest, slated for September 28 – October 4 in Nashville.

Interesting Facts from the 2009 Slate of Nominees:

Ron Stewart continues his role this year of being the only person ever named as a final nominee on two instruments the same year: banjo and fiddle.

Leading nominee Dan Tyminski was the singing voice of George Clooney in O Brother, Where Art Thou? the popular film directed by the Coen Brothers that brought bluegrass and acoustic music to the forefront of mass media attention in 2000. In addition to being a nearly professional-level golfer, Dan was also the high school foosball champion in his home state of Vermont.

Steve Martin’s high school jamming buddy, multi-instrumentalist John McEuen, of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, returns this year with three nominations for production related to Martin’s album, The Crow. As noted above, McEuen was the first co-host of the International Bluegrass Music Awards in 1990.

John’s co-host at the 1st Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, Vince Gill, is also nominated for an award this year: Recorded Event of the Year for “Sad Wind Sighs,” with The Grascals.

The members of Hot Rize, co-hosts for the International Bluegrass Music Awards this year, were the first recipients of the IBMA Entertainer of the Year Award in 1990.

Michael Cleveland, one of the most highly-awarded bluegrass musicians still in his 20s, has received the Fiddle Player of the Year six times in the past eight years. If he wins in 2009, he’ll be closing in on Stuart Duncan, who currently has eight IBMA fiddle trophies on his mantel at home.

Band leader Alecia Nugent, originally from Louisiana, is a first-time nominee this year for Female Vocalist of the Year. Jesse Brock, a member of Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, is nominated for the first time in the Mandolin Player of the Year category.

Junior Sisk & Rambler’s Choice and Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass, both who are nominated in the Emerging Artist category this year, are competing head-to-head in three more categories this year: Male Vocalist, Album of the Year and Song of the Year. .

Voting is close this year, as evidenced by ties in two categories, leading to six finalists for Entertainer and Dobro Player of the Year, instead of the customary five.

(Boston, MA) In response to state budget cuts, the board of the Massachusetts Cultural Council approved a spending plan for the current fiscal year that calls for cuts to a range of grant programs supporting the arts, humanities, and sciences statewide, and also cuts staff and spending at the agency itself.

The MCC’s state appropriation for Fiscal Year 2010 was reduced from $12.7 million to $9.7 million—a cut of just over 23 percent. In response, the MCC eliminated five full-time staff positions, cut administrative spending, and ended several partnerships and initiatives. Taken together, these decisions allowed the agency to lessen the impact of the budget reduction and ensure that no organization, school, or local cultural council sees its grant cut by more than 23 percent.

“This is a very difficult year,” said Anita Walker, MCC Executive Director. “But we have done our best to manage this significant budget cut as equitably as possible, and to preserve as much money as we can for our core grant programs for nonprofit cultural organizations, communities, schools, and artists.”

###

About the Massachusetts Cultural Council The Massachusetts Cultural Council promotes excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences, in order to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our communities.

The MCC is committed to building a central place for arts and culture in the everyday lives of communities across the Commonwealth. The Council pursues this mission through a combination of grants, services, and advocacy for cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

From Nina Feldman, by way of David Gans . Please forward to California friends, and note you can purchase Down Home's offerings from the web.

Now who are you going to support, a family/locally-owned business that also runs a great roots record label, or a or big box store or web business owned by a conglomerate corporation?

Down Home Music needs our support. The store has been a cultural institution since 1976; Chris Strachwitz has been producing non-commercial roots music on Arhooliedownhomemusic.com. since 1959. Down Home is currently on the endangered species list, soon to become extinct w/out our continued customer support. Open house: Discuss ways to save the store 9/5/09, 2pm, 10341 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito CA 94530 (510) 525 2129

2008 has been a pretty rough year for the retail music business and for Down Home Music. We unfortunately had to close our experiment at 1809 4th street in Berkeley due to escalating costs and declining sales. Our apologies to all our faithful fans and great customers. However, we're still hanging in here in El Cerrito and plan to be around as long as we can. We installed additional listening stations throughout the store and expanded our new and used LP vinyl room. We're currently working on a functional internet database so our far flung fans can still order good music and we've set up shop on EBAY for certain high end collectibles.

Whenever possible, we try and bring local live music and hot out of town acts to perform free daytime promotional gigs live in store. We advertise these events on flyers and community calendars. But the most reliable way to stay informed is to get yourself on our email list. Write us at mail@downhomemusic.com and we'll sign you up. Also don't forget to check this space for updates.

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